Faith
I believe: the creeds
The two creeds almost every church shares, in full and line by line, with where the Bible says it.
Credo means “I believe”. A creed says in a few sentences what Christians believe together: about God the Father, about Jesus, about the Holy Spirit, and about what God promises. It does not take the place of the Bible: it is a summary you can remember, say at baptism and pray together. Catholics, Orthodox and most Protestants have shared two of them for fifteen centuries.
When you love someone, you say it out loud. In the same way Christians say out loud together what they believe about God, in a few sentences you can learn by heart. That is called a creed.
Already in the Bible itself
The first believers already summed up their faith in short sentences. The creeds grew out of them.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
The oldest “I believe” in the Bible, still prayed every day in Judaism. Jesus calls it the first commandment.
Deuteronomy 6:4Jesus is Lord.
The shortest creed in the New Testament, perhaps said at baptism. In a world where people said “Caesar is lord”, it was a bold sentence.
Romans 10:9Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, he was buried, he was raised on the third day.
Here Paul passes on what he himself “received”: a fixed formula, a few years after Easter. Scholars see it as one of the oldest Christian texts.
1 Corinthians 15:3–5Who, being in very nature God… made himself nothing… Jesus Christ is Lord.
A song about Jesus' way from God to the cross and back to the highest place. Many interpreters think Paul is quoting a song that already existed.
Philippians 2:6–11
The two creeds
Pick a creed and tap a line: you'll read what it means and where the Bible says it.
The Apostles' Creed
2nd–8th century
It grew out of the questions asked at baptism in Rome (“Do you believe in God the Father…?”), the so-called Old Roman Symbol, which Rufinus was already explaining around 400. The full text as we know it now is found in the eighth century. The story that each of the twelve apostles added one sentence is a legend; the name says that it sums up the faith of the apostles.
Tap a line to open it.
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Everything begins with God: He made all things, and Jesus teaches us to call Him “Father”. Almighty means: nothing falls outside his care.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
“Christ” is the Greek translation of “Messiah”, anointed one. “Only Son” (older English: “only-begotten”) says that He is Son in a unique way, unlike the way we become children of God. “Lord” is the title the Greek Bible uses for God Himself.
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
Jesus is truly human, with a mother and a date of birth. And his coming is God's own work, not a human plan.
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;
A name from history in the middle of a prayer: Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea from about 26 to 36. In this way the creed says that this really happened, in a place and a time.
he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again;Churches say it differently:
Jesus was truly dead, like every human being, and went to the place of the dead. That is what the old word “hell” in this line meant: the realm of the dead (Hebrew sheol, Greek hades), not the place of punishment. On the third day He rose.
Churches say it differently: The ELLC text says “he descended to the dead”; the traditional wording, still used in the Catholic Roman Missal and the Book of Common Prayer, says “he descended into hell”. The churches explain it in different ways: Catholics and Orthodox see Christ setting free the righteous of old (on Eastern icons He pulls Adam and Eve out of their graves); Lutherans see the victory He proclaims there; the Heidelberg Catechism (question 44) sees the anguish of hell He already endured on the cross.
he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
The right hand is the place of honour beside the king. Jesus is not gone: He reigns, and pleads for us.
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
History is heading somewhere. The one who judges is the same one who died for us: that makes the judgement serious and at the same time a hope.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The third person of God, who came upon the disciples at Pentecost and lives in believers today. You can read more on the page about the Spirit.
the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,Churches say it differently:
Catholic means “universal, all over the earth”. The church is holy because it belongs to God, not because its members are perfect. The communion of saints: all believers belong together, here and beyond death.
Churches say it differently: Most English-speaking churches say “the holy catholic Church”, meaning the universal church; some Lutheran churches say “the holy Christian Church” to make the same point in other words. In the communion of saints, Catholics and Orthodox also think of the saints in heaven, who pray for us; Protestants think above all of the bond between all believers.
the forgiveness of sins,
The heart of the gospel: whoever comes to God receives a new beginning. Not earned, but given.
the resurrection of the body,Churches say it differently:
Christians do not hope for a soul that escapes, but for a whole person who rises, with a new body, like Jesus.
Churches say it differently: The Latin says carnis resurrectionem, literally “the resurrection of the flesh”, and some older English texts say just that. Most churches today say “the resurrection of the body”. It is the same confession every time.
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Life that does not end, and that begins already now: Jesus calls it knowing God. “Amen” is Hebrew for “so it is”, “firm and sure”.
The Nicene Creed
325 / 381
The Council of Nicaea (325) wrote the first version, against the teaching of Arius that the Son was created. The Council of Constantinople (381) expanded the part about the Spirit. The Council of Chalcedon (451) read out the text as we know it now. It is the only creed that Catholics, Orthodox and most Protestants use together.
Tap a line to open it.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
It begins with the “Hear, O Israel”: there is one God. What we do not see, such as the angels, was also made by Him.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,
The Son does not begin in Bethlehem. He was already there “in the beginning”, before creation.
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father;
This is the answer to Arius. “Begotten, not made”: what you make is different from you, what is begotten is of your own kind. “Of one Being” (Greek homoousios): the Son is just as fully God as the Father.
through him all things were made.
The Father created all things through the Son, the Word. That is why the Son is not part of creation.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
Why did He come? For us, to save. That is said even before his birth.
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.
God truly becomes human, with a body, hunger and tears. Not a God in disguise.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
“For our sake”: He did not just die, He died in our place and for our salvation.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
“In accordance with the Scriptures” comes from 1 Corinthians 15 (“according to the Scriptures”): the resurrection fits what God had promised long before.
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He lives and reigns; the man Jesus is now with God.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
The angel already said it to Mary: his kingdom will never end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
Added in 381: the Spirit is not a force, but Lord, just like the Father and the Son. He gives life, as at creation.
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,Churches say it differently:
East and West differ about this line: see the filioque below.
Churches say it differently: The original Greek text of 381, which the Orthodox churches pray, says “who proceeds from the Father”. The Latin church added “and the Son” (filioque). Catholics and many Protestants say it, the Orthodox do not.
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
The Spirit receives the same honour as the Father and the Son. And He is the one who spoke through the prophets: the Bible is his work.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.Churches say it differently:
Four marks: one (one Lord, one faith), holy (belonging to God), catholic (for the whole world) and apostolic (built on the foundation of the apostles).
Churches say it differently: Some Lutheran churches say “one holy Christian and apostolic Church”, and many service books explain “catholic” as “universal”. Each church understands “one” and “apostolic” a little differently: Catholics and Orthodox also as a visible line of bishops going back to the apostles, Protestants above all as faithfulness to the teaching of the apostles.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
One baptism, which is not repeated. That is why most churches recognise each other's baptism.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Not “I think” but “we look for”: the creed ends with a hope that looks ahead.
Only in this creed
God the Father
The Apostles' Creed
- I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
The Nicene Creed
- We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
Jesus Christ, the Son
The Apostles' Creed
- I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
- who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
- suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;
- he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; (Only in this creed)
- he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
- and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
The Nicene Creed
- We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,
- God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; (Only in this creed)
- through him all things were made. (Only in this creed)
- For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, (Only in this creed)
- was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.
- For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
- On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
- he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
- He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
The Holy Spirit
The Apostles' Creed
- I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The Nicene Creed
- We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, (Only in this creed)
- who proceeds from the Father and the Son, (Only in this creed)
- who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. (Only in this creed)
The church and our hope
The Apostles' Creed
- the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, (Only in this creed)
- the forgiveness of sins,
- the resurrection of the body,
- and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Nicene Creed
- We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
- We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. (Only in this creed)
- We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
English has several versions of both texts. Here you read the shared wording of the English Language Liturgical Consultation (ELLC, 1988), used by many Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches. Its Nicene Creed says “We believe”, as the Greek original does. The Catholic Roman Missal (2011) says “I believe”, as the Latin does, and has words of its own, such as “consubstantial with the Father” for “of one Being with the Father” and “he descended into hell” for “he descended to the dead”. Where a difference matters, you read it at the line.
How the councils of Nicaea and Constantinople came to these words is told on the Trinity page.
One word apart: the filioque
About the Holy Spirit, East and West say one line differently. What it says, why, and how the churches are drawing closer.
Filioque is Latin for “and (from) the Son”. It is about one sentence on the Holy Spirit: does He proceed from the Father, or from the Father and the Son?
A synod in Toledo (589), in Spain, added the word to stress against Arianism that the Son is fully God. It spread in the Frankish empire; in Rome it was only sung at Mass from around 1014. It became one of the points of disagreement in the split between East and West in 1054.
who proceeds from the Father and the Son
This is how Catholics and most Protestants pray it.
Western: “and the Son”
Catholic Church, most Protestant churches
Jesus says that He will send the Spirit (John 16:7), and Paul calls Him “the Spirit of his Son”. The Spirit is the bond of love between Father and Son, as Augustine put it. The word defends that the Son is one with the Father in everything.
Eastern: “from the Father”
Orthodox and Eastern churches
John 15:26 says literally that the Spirit “proceeds from the Father”. The Father is the one source in God. And a text laid down by a council of the whole church may not be changed by one part of the church alone; the Council of Ephesus (431) already forbade drawing up a different creed.
There has been much rapprochement. Already in Greek church fathers you hear “from the Father through the Son”, a formula both sides can accept. In 1995 the Vatican wrote that the Father is the only origin in God and that the Latin word says something different from the Greek one. Many Catholic churches of an Eastern rite pray the creed without the filioque, and in 1978 the Anglican bishops asked their churches to consider leaving it out.
How the churches use them
The same words, at different moments and each in its own way.
Catholic
Every Sunday and on solemnities at Mass, after the homily: usually the Nicene Creed, though the Apostles' Creed may also be used, especially in Lent and Eastertide. The Apostles' Creed belongs to baptism and opens the rosary.
Orthodox
In every Divine Liturgy the Nicene Creed is sung or said, without the filioque, just before the eucharistic prayer: “Let us love one another, that with one mind we may confess”. The Apostles' Creed is a Western text and is not used.
Protestant
Lutherans, Reformed and Anglicans use both, often the Apostles' Creed in the Sunday service and at baptism. The Heidelberg Catechism (1563) explains the Apostles' Creed sentence by sentence, in questions 23 to 58.
Evangelical
Many evangelical and free churches do not recite a creed in the service: they want the Bible alone as their standard. They usually do agree with what the creeds say, often in a statement of faith of their own.
Do you remember?
Five short questions about what you just read.
Question 1 of 5
What does the Latin word credo mean?
Sources
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent), “Apostles' Creed”
- Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent), “Nicene Creed”
- New Advent, “Rufinus, Commentary on the Apostles' Creed”
- New Advent, “The First Council of Constantinople (381)”
- New Advent, “The Council of Ephesus (431), canon 7”
- Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent), “Filioque”
- Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (EWTN library), “The Greek and Latin Traditions regarding the Procession of the Holy Spirit (1995)”
- Wikipedia, “Filioque (with the Lambeth Conference of 1978)”
- Wikipedia, “Harrowing of Hell”
- Christian Reformed Church, “Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 23–58”